Latch bolt and keeper safety interlock



Sept. 13, 1960 J. H. ROETHEL LATCH BOLT AND KEEPER SAFETY INTERLOCK Filed Jan. 24, 1957 INVENTOR. fizz 3062 7129X BY Wrap/v17 K LATCH BOLT AND KEEPER SAFETY INTERLOCK John H. Roethel, Coral Gables, Fla. (15145 W. Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35, Mich.)

Filed .Ian. 24, 1957, Ser. No. 636,033

8 Claims. (Cl. 292-198) This invention relates to a safety latch device particularly adapted for use on vehicle bodies.

The conventional latch bolt coacting with 'a striker or keeper device is intended only to hold a vehicle door in closed or latched condition against swinging movement about the door hinges. However, such devices frequently fail to keep the vehicle door securely latched under abnormal conditions, such as when the vehicle is involved in a collision or is upset. The modern vehicle body is only a relatively rigid structure. Collision or upset impacts often cause body deformation and relative movement between the vehicle parts and more particularly between the doors and door framing members. Such body deformation and relative movement between the vehicle door and framing member or body pillar may cause the latch bolt to be pulled away from the striker or 'keeper in a direction longitudinally of the vehicle body permitting the vehicle door to fly open and the vehicle occupants to be thrown from the vehicle even though the latch mechanism itself remains in latched condition.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive improvement in a cooperating latch bolt and keeper device which will effectively in hibit lateral movement, that is, movement in a direction longitudinally of a vehicle body, to a degree sufficient to prevent the latch bolt and keeper device from becoming laterally disengaged. It will be understood that some degree of lateral movement must be permitted to occur since certain tolerances and clearances must be allowed in the fitting together of the vehicle body components to compensate for manufacturing inaccuracies. The present invention permits normal manufacturing tolerances and clearances to be maintained while at the same time making provision for limiting the permissible lateral movement of the bolt and keeper device relative to one another so that the two cannot become abnormally disengaged.

Further objects and advantages and the features of construction embodied in the present invention to attain the samewill be apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a sectional View taken substantially through the line '11 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the cooperative relation between the latch bolt and striker device embodying the present invention when the latch bolt is in door latched position.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially through line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially through line 3--3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows but illustrating the latch bolt in dot-and-dash outline in its approach position to the striker device and illustrating the latch boltin solid outline in its safety latched position.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it

Patented Sept. 13, 1960 is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

The present application is a continuation-impart of my co-pending application, Serial No. 561,754, filed January 27, 1956.

In the drawing there is illustrated, by way of example, a particular embodiment of the present invention as applied to the door and frame structure of an automobile body. The embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a latch bolt device generally designated 10 and a striker or keeper device generally designated "11.

The latch bolt 10 comprises a lever or finger-like latch element 12 having a substantially figure eight contour. The latch element 12 is pivotally mounted on the latch plate 13 by means of a pivot shaft 14, the pivot axis being located substantially at the center of the lower or mounting portion 15 of the latch element 12. The latch element 12 extends in a substantially up-and-dovvn direction when in a door latched position, see Fig. 1, and is swingable in a plane parallel to the front face of the latch plate 13.

It will be understood that the latch bolt 10 is operatively associated with a conventional latch mechanism mounted on the inners-ide of the latch plate 13. For example, in a conventional latch mechanism the end portion 1 6 of the stud or shaft 14 carries a ratchet member (not shown) adapted to be engaged by a spring-urged pawl (not shown). The latter, when in engagement with the ratchet, is efiective to hold the latch bolt device 10 in door latched position, the position shown in Fig. 1. A spring (not shown) is generally provided to urge the latch bolt device into door unlatched position. The pawl may be disengaged from the ratchet to perm-it the latch bolt to travel to the door unlatched position. The disengaging means generally comprises both outer and inner manually operable lever means. The latch bolt 10 when in door unlatched position assumes the position indicated in dotand dash outline in Fig. 3. The ratchet is generally provided with an intermediate tooth or step engageable by the pawl to hold the latch bolt 10 in safety latching position. This is necessary in the event that for some reason the door is not completely moved to a latched position whereby, without the safety latching position, it would be in a condition to fiy open. The safety latched position of the bolt 10 is illustrated in solid outline with respect to the striker device 11 in Fig. 3. The inner mechanism of the latch mechanism forms no particular part of the present invention and the foregoing brief description is deemed suflicient to establish a background for understanding the present invention.

A particular importance of the present invention is the manner in which the latch bolt 10 is mounted on the latch plate 13. It will be noted that the main body portion 17 of the pivot shaft 14 is journalled in a mounting means comprising a bushing 18. The bushing 18 has a main cylindrical body portion 19 provided with a shoulder 29 of slightly greater diameter than the main body portion and a flange 21 of somewhat larger diameter. The shoulder 20 is undercut to provide a lip portion 22. The bushing 18 is assembled to the plate 13 by being inserted in a suitable aperture of a diameter complementary to the diameter of the bushing shoulder 20. The lip portion 22 is then staked or riveted over to securedly and fixedly retain the bushing 18 in place.

The peripheral surface of the bushing main body por tion 19 provides a bearing surface for a bearing means in the form of a roller 23. The roller 23 may be made of a suitable plastic materialsuch as nylon or any suitable metal having good anti-friction qualities. The rolle1'-. 23: endface 24. is undercut so. as; notto, frictionally engage, the: stakedjor riveted-over lip portion 22..

After the roller. 23 is placed on the, bushing 18, the. pivot shaft 14, which may be integral with or riveted to the latch element 12, is. inserted in the bushing, When. theratchet plate (not shown) is positioned on the end portion 16 of thelatch bolt shaft 14 and the end portion is staked or riveted over, the roller; 23. will. bi trapped between the-lower or mountingportion 15-ofzthe latch. element 12: and. the latchbolt plate portion;13.

As will be noted, Fig. 2, the latch plate 13 is provided with an embossed portion;25 whichis'adapted to fit into orv substantially close up the hole-or aperture 26, in; the free'edge wall'orjarnb 27 of: the vehicle door through. which the latch bolt is inserted to project beyond. the plane of-the leading edge of-thedoor.

It will be noted that the latch element 12 is, provided with a flange portion 28 which extends below the lower edgeof the roller 23, for a reason to be explained,

The striker or keeper device 11' adapted to cooperate with the latch bolt device 10 embodied in the present invention is adapted to be secured to the vehicle body pillar 29' by suitable bolts'30' projecting through the bolt holes: 31. The striker or keeper device, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 3, has ingeneral the formof the letter open to the outside. It is preferably made of a unitary piece of material and comprises a bottom or foot part. 32.having a substantially flat upper surface 33, an ascendant or erect rib portion 34 and a head portion 35 of essentially hook form. The head portion 35' serves to engage the upper or latching portion 36 of the latch element 12 in a manner so as toretain the vehicle door 111 aclosed position. The bottom part or foot portion 32 of the keeper device, or, more particularly, the upper surface 33 thereof, presents a support or bearing means engaging member for the bearing meansor roller 23 of the latch bolt device 10. Thus, when the latch bolt device is engaged with the striker or keeper 11 in a manner as shown in Fig. 1, the latter serves to simultaneously hold the door in latched position. and to secure the door against vertical movement while the vehicle is in motion.

However, it will. be noted that provision is made to prevent the latch bolt device .10 from becoming disengaged from the striker or keeper in a direction of movement axially of the pivot shaft 14 thereof. The axial movement referred to would be in a direction to the right with reference to Fig. 2. The upper or latching portion 36 of the latch element 12 is received in a pocket undercut behind the front wall 37 of the striker or keeper. The bottom or foot part 32 of the striker or keeper device 11 isundercut behind the wall portion 38, on the upper surface 33 of. which the roller rides. The lower flange 28 of the latch element 12 projects into this lower undercut portion. Thus, any attempted axial movement to the right as viewed in Fig. 2 of the latch, element relative to the striker is inhibited by the wall portions 37 and 38 of the keeper device, except for that movement permitted by the clearance between the latch element 12 and said wall portions. When the latch bolt device 10 is in engagement with'the striker or keeper device 11 either in fully latched position as shown in Fig. 1 or in safety latched position as shown'in solid outline in Fig. 3, the latch element cannot become disengaged from the striker or keeper device in the normal direction of swinging movement of the door about its hinges or in the event of such distortion of the vehicle body as would cause the door to be movedrelatively to the framing member orbody pillar in a direction longitudinally of the vehiclehody.

Itrwill be noted that the head portion. 35 of. the Striker; or: keeper device 11 is, provided with a, rubber d insert 39 shielded at the lower portion thereof by a metal shield 40, the latch element contacting portion of which is contoured complementarily' to the upper curved contour of the upper or latching portion 36 of the latch element 12. The rubber insert 39 is inserted from the rear face of the striker or keeper device 11 and is automatically retained therein when the striker or. keeper device i bolted to the, vehicle frame member or body pillar'29;

holding the striker, or keeper device to the body pillar.

In operation, when the vehicle door is in unlatched condition the latch element 1 2 has the position shown in dot-and-dash outline. inrFig: 3. As the door is swung to a closed position, the roller 23 engages the rounded toe portion 41 of the bottom or foot part 32 of the striker or keeper device and suitably rolls along the upper surface 33 thereof. Thus, if the vehicle door has sagged about its hinges slightly, the roller 23, will cause the door to be picked up so as to properly align the latch bolt element 12 relative to the striker before. the

door is slammed shut. As the closing movement of the when the latch element 12 is in fully latched position, provides a clearance space between the apex 44 of the.

inclined end wall 42 of the ascendant rib 32 and the latch element 12. Actually, as the door is moved to fully closed position, the rubber seal around the edges,

of the door issomewhat compressed and the latch element 12 will overtravel a slight degree. The clearance between the apex 44 of the angular end wall 42. and the neck portion 43 of the latch element permits-such overtravel without damage to the bolt device or, the striker. Should the closing movement of the doorbe interrupted when the latch bolt has reached only the position shown in Fig. 3, the vehicle'door will. be held in safety latched position. It will be obvious that the.

latch bolt device cannot be moved out of the striker or keeper unless the latch mechanism is released. to permit the bolt to rotate back to the position shown in dot-and-dash outline in Fig. 3. of the door, the latch 'bolt'will travel all the way to the position shown in Fig. l. The rubber insert 39 will becompressed slightly. It will be understood that the rubber will be suficiently' resistant to co'mpressionsothat.

the latch bolt will be substantially held against movement in an up-and-down direction thereby holding the vehicle door against vibration in a vertical direction. Inasmuch as the bushing 18 which supports the latch bolt element 12 and its pivot shaft 14 is rigidly and. firmly secured to the latch plate 13, it is not necessary to.

provide any additional. structure, such as a dovetail co-. operating with a wedge, to hold the vehicle door against movement in an up-and-down direction. The hard rubber insert acts as a means for taking up any vertical clearances which might exist between the latch element and the striker or keeper device.

Although in its preferred form, as illustrated and hereinabove described, the structure embodying the present invention utilizes the roller 23, it willbe readily apparent that the roller 23 may be eliminated and a non-rollable bearing means substituted therefor. would have to be made, for the removal of r'oller23 so asto maintain the latch element 12 in proper relation. to

the striker 11. This couldbe done by increasing the outside diameter of the main cylindrical portion 19 of the.

The rubber" insert 39 is provided with a suitable hole permitting itrtoreceivethe b01113)? Upon normal closing.

Compensation.

,5 of the roller 23. In the alternative, the height of the wall portion 38 of the striker 11 could be increased so that the upper surface 33 thereof would underlie the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 19 should it be desired to maintain the diameter of the latter as shown. Further, both the outside diameter of the bushing portion 19 and the height of the wall portion 38 could be increased to suitable complementary dimensions to maintain the latch element 12 in its desired door latched relationship to the striker 11.

Obviously, a fixed bearing means instead of the roller 23 engaging the upper surface 33 of the striker bottom or foot portion 32 would be less desirable from the standpoint of the increased frictional wear on the supporting surface 33 resulting from sliding friction as compared to that resulting from rolling friction. However, the elimination of the roller 23 reduces the cost of the mechanism without too seriously decreasing the useful life thereof. The rollerless construction would be noisier in operation but here again the cost differential might outweigh this advantage of the construction embodying a roller 23.

The construction embodying the present invention as hereinabove described derives an important advantage from the relationship of the upper or latching portion 36 of the latch element 12 tothe upper or head portion 36 of the keeper or striker device 11 when the latch element is in door latched condition (see Fig. 1). In effect the upper portion 36 of the latch element and the retaining pocket of the striker head portion 35 form a ball and socket connection, at least in a plan normal to the pivot axis of the latch element 12. As the vehicle is driven about a certain amount of lateral twisting of the vehicle body occurs. This is reflected in the vehicle door and the adjacent body pillar to which the door is latched being twisted laterally relative to one another. This is turn causes relative movement between the peripheral surface of the upper \or latching portion 36 of the latch element 12 and the adjacent wall surface of the retaining pocket in the striker head portion 35. But because of the partial ball and socket relationship between the latch element and the striker, the latching action remains fully effective as the latch element upper or latching portion 36 rolls from side to side relative to the striker head portion pocket. And, because of the relatively large contact areas involved this is very little frictional wear resulting from such relative movement.

A further advantage of the ball and socket relationship of the latch element 12 and striker or keeper 11 is that the installation of the striker on the body pillar is made much easier. Normally, much care must be taken to insure that the vertical axis of the striker is perfectly aligned with the door latched position vertical axis of the latch element. This is particularly true when the latch bolt and keeper or striker are of the type exemplified in my U.S. Patent 2,499,165. As illustrated therein, positive latching of the door depends on line contact between a relatively small geartooth on the rotor and a small rack tooth on the striker. Improper vertical alignment of the striker results in either non-latching or unsafe latching of the vehicle door. With the construction embodied in the present invention, the vertical mis-alignment of the striker may be several degrees from the optimum position without rendering the latching action impossible or unsafe.

The large contact areas between the latch element 12 and striker 11 also effectively diminish the effect of wear between the contact surfaces resulting from relative vertical movement between the latch element and striker caused by vehicular vibrations in a vertical plane, as will be readily apparent.

The foregoing construction and arrangement which has been described is believed to be a relatively inexpensive, easily fabricated and highly efiicient means of providing a safety interlock for vehicle doors.

I claim:

1. In a door latching mechanism, a latch device hav'- ing a latching portion and a mounting portion spaced from said latching portion, mounting means fixedly mounted on the door journalling said latch. device at its mounting portion for pivotal movement, bearing means on said mounting means adjacent said latch device mounting portion, a keeper device having latch holding means cooperable with said latching portion of said latch device upon closing the door to hold the door in latched position, said keeper device having a bearing means engaging member traversed by said bearing means upon closing the door, said latching portion leading said bearing means toward engagement with said keeper device, said keeper device having an end wall engageable by said leading latching portion and against which the latter travels to cause said latch device to be pivoted into door latched position, said member having a part disposed to be in blocking position with respect to a portion of said latch device mounting portion in the closed position of the door and effective to block such relative displacement of the latching portion from the latch holding means longitudinally of the door as would cause separation thereof.

2. In a door latching mechanism, a latch device having a latching portion and a mounting portion spaced from said latching portion, bushing means fixedly mounted on the door, a pivot stud for said latch device journalled by said bushing means and to the outer end of which said latch device is secured at its mounting portion, bearing means on said bushing means adjacent said latch device mounting portion, a keeper device having latch holding means cooperable with said latching portion of said latch device upon closing the door to hold the door in latched position, said keeper device having a member engageable by said bearing means and against which the latter travels upon closing the door, said latching portion preceding said bearing means into engagement with said keeper device, said keeper device having an end wall engageable by said preceding latching portion and against which the latter travels to cause said latch device to be pivoted into door latched position, said member having a part overlapping a projecting portion of said latch device in the closed position of the door and effective to block such relative displacement of the latching portion from the latch holding means longitudinally of the door as would cause separation thereof.

3. In a door latching mechanism, a latch device, means for pivotally mounting said latch device to turn on the door, said means comprising a bushing means fixedly secured to the door and a pivot stud journalled within said bushing means, said latch device having a latching portion projecting radially from the pivotal mounting thereof, a roller carried by said bushing means adjacent said latch device, a keeper device having a recessed portion cooperable with said latching portion of said latch device upon closing the door for holding the door in latched position, said keeper device having a member engageable by said roller and against which said roller travels upon closing the door, said latching portion preceding said roller into engagement with said keeper device, said keeper device having an end wall engageable by said preceding latching portion and against which the latter travels to cause said latch device to be pivoted into door latched position, said member overlapping said latch device in position to block such relative displacement of the latching portion from said recessed portion longitudinally of the door as would cause separation thereof.

4. In a door latching mechanism, a latch device having a latching portion and a mounting portion spaced from said latching portion, means for pivotally mounting said latch device to turn on the door, said means comprising a bushing means fixedly secured to the door and a pivot stud journalled within said bushing means, said latch device being secured at its mounting portion to the outer end of said pivot stud, a roller mounted on said bushing preceding latching'portion and against which the. latter.

travels; to cause said latchdevice to be pivoted" into door latched position, said keeper device also having a.

member disposed in blocking position with respectto said latching portion. of said" latch device in the closed positionoftlie door, andieffective to block such relative displacement of the" latching: portion from said latch holding means longitudi'nally'ot the door as would cause separation thereof;

5.. In a' door latching mechanism; a latch'device having a latching" portion and a mounting portion spaced from said latching portion, means for pivotally'mounting said latch device to'turn' on the door, said means. comprising a bushing means fixedlysecured to the door and'a pivot stud journalled within said bushing means, said latch device being secured at its mounting portion to the outer .end of said pivot stud, a roller mounted on said bushingmeans adjacent said latch device mounting portion, a keeper device having a latch holding means co operable with a portion of said latch device upon closing the door tohold the door in latched position, said keeper device having a roller engaging member traversed by said roller and above which said roller travels. upon closing the door, said latchingportion preceding said roller toward engagement with said keeper device, said keeper device having an end wall engageable by said preceding latching portion and against which thelatter travels to cause said latch device to be pivoted into door latching position, said member being disposed in blocking position with respect to said latching portionof said latch device in the closed position'of the door and efiective to block'such relative displacement of the latching. portion from saidlatch holding means as would cause separation.

thereof longitudinally of the door.

6. In a door latching'mechanism, a'latch device, means for pivotally mounting said latch device to turn on the door, said means comprising a bushing means fixedly secured to the door and a pivot stud journalled within said bushing means, a roller carried by said bushing means adjacent said latch device;. a keeper. device, said.

latch device and keeper device having one. a latching portion and the other a recessed portion inter-engage.- able upon closing the doorfor holding thedoor in latched position, said' keeper device having a member engage, able bysaid roller and; against which said roller travels upon closing the door, said latching portion preceding said roller into engagement with said keeper device, said keeper device having an end wall engageable by said preceding latching portion and against which the latter travels to cause said latch device to be pivoted into- 8' door latched position, said member overlappingsaid latch device in position to block such' relativedisplacement of the. latching portion. from said recessed portion longitudinally of the door as would cause separation-thereof.

7f In'a'door'latching mechanism, a-latchdevicehaving; a latching portion and a mounting portion spaced'from, said latching'portion, mounting means fixedly mounted. on the free edge wall of the door and journalling said latch device at its mounting portion for pivotal movement, bearing means interposed between said latch de-' viceand saidfree edge wall, a keeper device having latch holding'means cooperable with said latching portion'of said'latch device upon closing the door to holdthe'door in latche'd position, said keeper device having a bearing means engaging'member traversed by said bearing'means' upon closing the door, said latching portion preceding said bearingmeans into engagement with said keeper device, saidkeeper'device having'an end wall engageable by said'preceding latching portion and against which the latter travels to cause said latch device to be pivoted into door latching position, said keeper device havingaportion disposed in blocking position withrespect to-a portion of'said latch device in the closedposition of the door' and effective to block such relative displacement ofthe latching portion from the latch holding means longitudinally of the door as would cause separation thereof.

8. In a door latching mechanism, a latch device, mounting means pivotally supporting said latch device on the free edge wall of the door in'spaced relation thereto, hearing means interposed between said latch device and said free edge wall, a keeper device, saidlatch device and said keeper device having one a latching portion and the other a recessed portion receiving said latching" portion upon closing the door for holding the door in latched position, said keeper device having a portion engageable by said bearing means against which'the latter bears upon closing the door, said latching portion preced ing said bearing means into engagement with said'keepen device, said keeper device having an end wall engageable by said preceding latching portion and against which the latter travels to pivot said latch device into door latching position, and said latch device and keeper device having in'door closed position overlapping sections eifectiveto 45 block such relative displacement of the latching-portion from said recessed portion 'longitudinally'of'the dooraswould cause separation thereof.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,074,191 Roethel' Mar. 16, 1937 2,246,786 Dall June'24; 194'1 26741483 De-Vito Apr: 6;,1954' FOREIGN PATENTS 393,355. Great Britain June. 8', 1933 732,190 Great Britain June 22,1955 

